Photo via AP by Tom Hindman, Charleston Daily Mail
Nearly six months ago, Bayer CropScience announced it would be reducing the stockpile of deadly methyl isocyanate — MIC — at its Institute, W.Va., chemical plant by 80 percent. Bayer said the $25 million project would take about a year.
Reporters asked Bayer about that project today at a press conference the company called to announce major management changes at the Institute plant. Bayer officials said they’re on schedule. But do the numbers and dates add up?
Chris Evans, a senior vice president for Bayer, said the project is still in the phase where the company is doing engineering design and ordering some new equipment. Construction isn’t supposed to actually start until the August to October 2010 time frame, he said.
But, Evans did say that Bayer would stop making MIC in August, to the plant can reduce its inventory to zero in preparation for the construction project that will lead to a long-term inventory reduction of 80 percent.
“I think we’re on track,” Evans said.
Here’s some video of Evans answering questions about the MIC reduction project:
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You should be so proud to be a part of putting West Virginians out of work.
It sounds to me, TookOurJobs, that Mr. Evans was talking about a whole bunch of employees in designing, engineering, and constructing a new process. Now, what else he said, I can’t quite tell…
[...] Blogs @ The Charleston Gazette – » Is Bayer on schedule for reducing MIC inventory? blogs.wvgazette.com – view page – cached Nearly six months ago, Bayer CropScience announced it would be reducing the stockpile of deadly methyl isocyanate — MIC — at its Institute, W.Va., chemical plant by 80 percent. Bayer said the $25 million project would take about a year. [...]
The problem is you won’t stop with MIC.
Bayer has already reduced the on hand inventory as they stated they would. They are engineering the unit so they can make MIC at a reduced rate. Again, Mr. Ward, you are reporting only what you want the people to hear or maybe you don’t know as much as you think you do.
Thanks everyone for the comments … It’s worth noting that Bayer has said the reductions in MIC inventory will not cost any jobs. Also, anyone who thinks I’m not reporting this fairly can watch the video I’ve posted and see for themselves what was said.
Ken.
Was that the whole video??? Or was that the only part you wanted us to see!!!! I guess the whole news conference lasted 1:36.
Yes construction workers will be employed to downsize this is only a short term job. The jobs its will be lost are from the units that will no longer use MIC. If there no longer making product from the use of MIC then there will have to be jobs lost.
triedofthebashing,
Obviously, that was not the entire press conference. I did not take video of the entire press conference, but I’ve posted two segments — one represented the new plant manager’s introductory statement, and the other was Bayer’s response to my question about the MIC storage issue.
What exactly is it that you think was said that I’m hiding from readers? Perhaps you could provide some more substantive comments, rather than just ranting.
And Does anyone really know — that is not what Bayer has said. They said the elimination of MIC will not cost jobs.
Ken.
tiredofthebashing is right. Have you tried seeing it from their point of view? They’re trying to hold on to everyone’s jobs. If you think it’s all corporate bull, maybe you should get to know them? They’re all very close, and they act like a family, regardless of the fact that it is such a large plant.
Maybe instead of lighting them negatively, you could be optimistic that they are actively trying to make that plant better, and coping with the explosion that happened. After something like that, rash things have to happen, but they are keeping them as mundane as possible.
Mr. Ward,
Look at the headline, “Is Bayer on schedule to reduce MIC inventory?”, you have not reported the fact that Bayer has already reduced the inventory. You make it seem that the company still has the volume on hand they had before they agreed to reduce the inventory. Why haven’t you reported this fact? Maybe your hiding it or have you even asked about the current inventory?
You keep referring that Bayer has stated no jobs will be lost to the reduction of MIC inventory. Jobs may not be lost to the reduction, but if you keep fanning the flames the company can shut down the whole plant with one pen stroke from a company official in Germany. Maybe this is the result you are looking for, I don’t know. You must remember we are dealing with a global economy and competeing with third world countries for jobs.
I feel if this newspaper reports in whole truths, instead of half truths or what you want people to hear, it may shed a better light on what people read and in turn what they think about the chemical industry in this valley.
tired of the bashing,
Thanks for your specific example … I’ll try to address your concern.
First, I have today asked Bayer for updated information on their inventory. The company has not announced or indicated that any changes in the inventory have taken place. But I’ve asked again about this, and I’ll report back what I find out.
A description of the announced plan for dealing with the inventory reduction was reported in pretty good detail in our initial story about the Bayer announcement. That story is still online here:
http://wvgazette.com/News/Bayerexplosion/200908260495
In that story, Bayer announced it was not going to rebuild the Methomyl unit and that it would in July 2010 stop producing MIC for FMC’s carbofuran unit.
Together, those two steps would — once they were taken (July 2010) eliminate the need to pipe MIC across the plant from the MIC production unit to Methomyl and FMC.
And at the time, as I reported:
Bayer will continue to make MIC and use it for production of aldisol, a key ingredient in the pesticide Temik, and carbaryl, a key ingredient in Sevin.
Institute plant manager Nick Crosby said MIC storage for those processes would be reduced by “closely aligning rates of production of MIC with rates of consumption.”
Bayer said at the time of that August 2009 announcement that the project would take about a year. All I’ve done is press them for answers about how well they are keeping to that schedule. It sounds like to me they are a couple of months behind, because construction on the project isn’t supposed to start until August, or perhaps September or October — according to what the company said on Monday. The company believes it’s still on schedule — but it is counting based on the fact that it will stop new MIC production in August to de-inventory for this construction project to start.
All of that was reported, both in my print story and in this blog.
It was reported completely and fairly.
As for your allegation that continued coverage of this issue will prompt Bayer to close the Institute plant entirely … Actually, it’s my firm believe that continued coverage by the Gazette will help ensure that Bayer lives up to the commitment it has made to the Kanawha Valley community to reduce its MIC inventory by 80 percent. So, if you’re looking for me to stop writing about MIC, sorry, that’s not going to happen.
Some readers have credited the Gazette’s coverage of the Institute plant — which goes back many years — with helping to push Bayer to reduce its stockpile of this deadly chemical. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but we are proud here of keeping the community informed about this very important issue.
Thanks for your reading and commenting.
Ken.
Mr. Ward,
I, too, believe EVERYONE should be held accountable for their actions. From the biggest industry to smallest newspaper, including you and I.
It may be difficult to get any chemical company to be voluntary in offering any information to this newspaper. Why would they, everthing they say is put under such a microscope no one in their right mind would volunteer to come forth and say anything. You can tell it in the way DuPont handled the recent phosgene exposure. The person that called Metro 911 was afraid to give to much information. Is this the kind of atmosphere you would have these companies operate under? Do you fell that being afraid to say anything to the community keeps them safe?
tired of the bashing,
I agree people should generally be held accountable for their actions … and in fact, part of the purpose behind the comments section on our web site and this blog is to allow members of the public (readers) like yourself to hold US accountable … so you’re welcome for being given the opportunity to criticize us openly.
Again, though, I think we’ve reported on this particular announcement very fairly, openly and as completely as we could. You raised some questions and I’ve asked Bayer for more information that might address your questions.
It is my very firm believe that companies that operate facilities that could great grave dangers to the public have an absolute obligation to be open with the press and the public. As we have seen, not doing so haven’t worked out very well for Bayer. They’ve said they want a “new day” with the valley … part of my job is to see if they’re living up to that promise.
Thanks for reading and for taking the time to comment.
Ken.
tired of the bashing,
As I said, I asked for more information from Bayer, especially about your statement that:
“Bayer has already reduced the on hand inventory as they stated they would. ”
Below is my email exchange, in its entirety, with Tom Dover of Bayer –
Tom,
Could you provide me figures for the CURRENT average MIC inventory at
the Institute facility?
Has the “day tank” already been eliminated, or is it still in use to
supply the FMC part of the plant?
We’ve had some reader questions about this, and would like to provide as
specific an answer as we can.
Thanks, Ken.
——————————
Hi Ken,
Currently, we are working under normal business operations. Our typical
average MIC inventory is fifty percent of the maximum quantity stored at
the site. The day tank in the West Carbamoylation Center remains in
service, but will cease operation at the end of August, as announced.
Regards,
- Tom
———————————-
Thanks, Tom.
So would it be accurate to say, then, that none of the inventory
reduction has actually happened yet?
————————–
Hi Ken,
The planned 80% reduction will occur after installation of the new equipment following our shutdown at the end of August.
Regards,
- Tom
———————————–
So … as I understand that, Bayer has not reduced the inventory yet. As I’ve written, that won’t happen until after the construction project begins.
Ken.
@Does anyone really know:
I remember what it was like growing up with the constant threat that my father was going to be out of a job or shipped overseas somewhere. All I wanted was to know that we could keep on living right here without worry. It’s high time we found an industry that allows us that sense of security. Any ideas?
@seeitfromeveryside:
No one doubts that the workers of this plant act like a family. It is this sense of family and community that our group is trying to hold on to. When your family members are sick and dying, what do you do? You nurture them and try to make them better. You don’t keep feeding them what it is that is making them sick and killing them. You find something else to feed them that is not going to cause them to be sick…because you love them and want them to be well. It is hard to shed a light of positivity on what it is that is destroying this sense of family and community. We need to start shining a light what it is that is going to make us better.
@tiredofthebashing:
Before we know it, you’re going to be advocating for workers at the plant to work for the same type of slave wages that workers in China are making in order to keep jobs here! It must be nice to have as much time on your hands as you do to sit here and bash Ken and the Charleston Gazette all day long (or is that what you’re paid to do?). Perhaps if you spent the same amount of time trying to come up with a solution to the problems that do exist (you know they exist, right?) then maybe you could be a part of making the world a better place instead of just creating a negative environment for the rest of us trod through who are busy trying to make the world a better place. If you would like to discuss some potential solutions to these problems, please do contact me. I am happy to engage in this kind of discussion but haven’t the time or energy to read comments or listen to someone who does nothing but complain. What is it that you’re so afraid of, anyway?
@Ken:
Thank you for your continued coverage and asking the questions that no one else is asking. You seem to be striking a chord.